The Men in Her Life
by jadeb
Summary: This is a collection of oneshots involving Rukia and all the men in her life. Chapter 1: The Story of Us She watched and listened, it was suppose to be a fairytale, but why wasn’t there a happily ever after? IchiRuki


_This is my collection of oneshots involving Rukia and all the men that has affected her life one way or another. Please note that I have taken great artistic liberty on parings and emotions. A lot of it is crack, but that's okay, because crack does the body good.

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**Chapter 1:** The Story of Us

**Pairing:** IchigoxRukia

**Genre: **Angst

**Rating:** K

Sometimes Rukia would ask herself if what she did was right. Was it right to take away all of his power and seal it away? Was it right for her to give up all that they had built? Were all those emotions worth throwing away just so he could have a normal life, well, as normal as can be for someone like Ichigo? And every time those questions arose, Rukia would always give the same answer. _"It was for the best,"_ she repeated to herself, over and over again for over ten years.

So for his sake and his happiness, she would ignore his cries for her to come back and his desperate attempt to see, or even sense, if she was around. But as the years went by and his power being seal up longer, Ichigo began to lose the little remaining power that he had left and then one day, he could no longer see or hear the voices anymore. And only then, would Rukia finally come back, watching him from afar and silently protecting him. Watching him as he graduate from high school, started dating, going to college, graduate from college, getting a job, and then getting married. All the events in his life play out before her eyes like a movie, and like a movie, she wasn't a part of it. Instead, she was just the observer, the person watching from a distance without having a say in anything and everything.

As Rukia observed, she realized that Ichigo never once mention her name or anything about her. But why should he? She is nothing more than a shadow from his past, a person who didn't even exist to most of the people that knew him.

Sometimes she wished that she could be just like Ichigo and forget everything that had ever happened between them, but she knew she that couldn't, no matter how hard she tried. And so every once in a while, she would pay a visit to his family; they still live in the same house, while Ichigo has moved out to start his own family, to ask for details of his life that she might have missed. Yuzu and Karin soon become the friends where she would confide her every feelings.

Today was supposed to be one of those days, where she would visit the Kurosaki household and catch up on things with Yuzu and Karin. Upon entering the house, something was different. She called out and no one answer, it was as if no one was home, but the door front door was unlocked, and there were voices upstairs. If it was Yuzu, Karin, or even their dad, they would have heard her and answer. But no one reply to her call. For a second she thought it could be Ichigo, it did sound a lot like him, but she knew that Ichigo had work at this time of the day. So, being curious, Rukia climbed up the stairs and followed the source of the voices. The voices were coming from Ichigo's old room and Rukia slowly walked towards it, afraid to face the person that she knew was inside.

The door to the room was ajar and Rukia peeked inside, observing Ichigo as he hold his son on his lap, gently rocking the boy to sleep. Rukia couldn't help but notice how much Ichigo had changed. He was no longer the little punk that she remembered. Sitting in front of her now was a man, once fear and known by so many, was now just a husband and a father.

"Sleep," Ichigo gently coaxed his son. "Your arm won't heal, unless you rest," he patted the boy on the head.

"But otou-san, it hurts," the boy told his father. "Tell me a story, make the pain go away," he begged his father with pleading eyes.

Ichigo laughed, a heartfelt laugh and nodded in agreement. "What story do you want to hear?"

"The story about the knight and the princess," the boy squealed in excitement, hurting his arm in the process.

Rukia smiled at the father and son's interaction, then for a split second, she saw something flash in Ichigo's eyes but it was gone as fast as it appeared. Rukia turned her head from the door and slowly let her body fall to the ground as she leaned her head against the wall, also wanting to hear the story of the knight and the princess.

Inside the room, Rukia could hear Ichigo speaking. "That story again?" he asked his son before beginning the story.

"Once there was a knight, a weak knight, without the strength to fight and protect those he cares about," Ichigo began. "The knight was always angry, angry as his own weakness. But then one fateful day, a princess from far far away came crashing into the knight's life. The princess was strong and beautiful with raven black hair and eyes as blue as the sea, but she was distance and cold and he didn't like her very much," Ichigo said, shaking his head.

From outside, Rukia smiled and listened intently to Ichigo's every word.

"But then some evil monster attacked the knight's family, angering the knight. So he fought the monster and lost; he didn't have the power to defeat such a horrendous monster and just when the knight thought he was going to be eaten, the princess jumped right in front of him and saved him, risking her life in the process. The princess was injured badly and could no longer fight, so she told the knight to take her power and use it to protect his family. The knight did as he was told and with a sword in hand, he charged at the monster and destroyed it." Ichigo swung his hand like a sword and his son's face lit up.

"Then what happened?" his son asked in an excited voice.

"Well, the knight and the princess became friends, learning about each other's world. They were becoming closer day by day. But what the knight didn't realized was that not only the princess had risked her life by saving him, she has also committed a great crime in her kingdom by giving him her power. So then one fateful night, two warriors from her kingdom were sent to take her back. He tried to protect her, but again he failed, because he was too weak."

"Awwww," the boy cried.

"But don't worry," Ichigo told him. "Because the knight was soon visited by a wizard, who knows the princess, and he helped trained the knight. And so the knight trained and he got really strong, almost like daddy," Ichigo joked. "So the knight traveled to the princess's kingdom and he fought and fought many battles, then finally, he saw the princess again and his heart ached. He wanted to just run up to her and hold her as tight as he could, so she would never leave him."

"And did he?" the boy asked.

Ichigo shook his head, "No he didn't, because he wanted to defeat the warrior that captured the princess first and then run away with her. But again, the warrior was stronger than the knight and he couldn't save the princess. But that's okay, because the knight trained again, and he got stronger and finally was able to defeat the warrior and the warrior agrees to let the princess go. But in the mist of all the fighting, some of the warriors in the princess kingdom were plotting to kill the princess, because she has a special Jewel that grants you great power and it took the knight and all his friends to save the princess. In the end, the knight saved the day and he was ready to go home with his princess, but the princess decided that she wanted to remain in her own kingdom. The knight was heartbroken, but he smiled as he waved good bye to the princess, because as long as she was happy, he was happy."

"But why didn't the princess go with the knight?" asked the boy.

"Because you see, the princess was weak and needed to rest, but the knight didn't know that. He thought he would never see her again, but then one day, she came back, just in time for a war that was happening in his kingdom, and it was the happiness day of the knight's life. And so the knight and the princess fought the evil villains that were attacking both their kingdoms and finally after all the hard work, they won. But the knight was injured badly and there was nothing that the princess could do to save him and all she could do was watched as the magician, their friend, healed the knight from his wounds. As the princess watched in fear for the knight's life, she blamed herself for his misfortune and wished that she could turn his life back to way they were. So using their magic, she and the wizard took away his power and sealed it far away so he could never find it." Ichigo voiced was now shaky, as if he was using every ounce of control to not let his voice crack.

"Then the princess told him that he was better off without her and begged him to start a new life. The knight refused, he doesn't want to live a life without the princess and begged her to stay. But she didn't. Instead she left him with tears in her eyes and left to her kingdom, never again visiting the knight. But the knight waited and waited, thinking and hoping that she will come back one day, but she never did. And so the knight waited and waited and even till now, he waits and waits for his happily ever after with his princess, but it never comes…" Ichigo whispered, before drifting off to sleep.

Rukia smiled bitterly and got up from where she was sitting, her body still trembling from holding back her tears. "I'm sorry Ichigo," she called out. Without pushing the door open, afraid that it might wake them up, Rukia entered the room and walked over to where Ichigo was sleeping with his son on his laps. She looked at the boy and smiled. There were many times when Rukia regret and wonder if what she did was right, but looking into the kid's face, she knew that if given the chance, she would do it again, because Rukia would never be able to give Ichigo something as precious as the child on his lap. Looking at the sun setting outside, Rukia realized she had overstayed her time and she should really be going, but not until she was able touch him one last time. She knew that she shouldn't be doing this, but her body ached to touch him. Reaching out her hand, she gently moved a strain of his hair and caressed his cheek. As if her body has a mind of its own, Rukia lowered her face to his and placed a gentle kiss on his forehead. The kiss was quick and light and when Rukia pulled back, she was shock to see a pair of wide auburn eyes staring back at her.

Rukia didn't know how long she held onto her breath, as she continued to stare into the little boy's eyes. She was sure he could see her, because he was staring straight at her. Her suspicion was confirmed, when he called out, "princess?"

Rukia smiled and gently floated backward, trying to not shock the kid, and waved before completely fading away.

"Daddy!" the little boy called out, shaking his dad. "Daddy, wake up! The princess was here!"

"What?" Ichigo asked tiredly, waking up from his nap.

"The princess she was here. She was beautiful like you said daddy, with black hair, porcelain skin, and eyes as round as the moon," he giggled. "Oh and she kissed you too."

"Rukia…" Ichigo whispered, touching his forehead. In his sleep he felt something cold brushed his face, but he thought it was a dream. But it wasn't; it was Rukia and so he looked around, desperately searching for her. _'Please, just this once, shows yourself!'_ He begged silently, but there was nothing. She was gone again and without a word of good-bye. "Why?" he asked. "Why couldn't you let me see you one last time? Why?" Ichigo called out and buried his face in his hands.

"Daddy…" whispered the little boy. "Don't be sad. She'll be back. The princess, she always follows you, I see her all the time. She will be back, I promise."

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I hope it was good and you guys like it. 

**Reviews are welcome!**


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